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Exhaustion at work can lead to difficulty controlling emotions, scientists say

www.theguardian.com Exhaustion at work can lead to difficulty controlling emotions, scientists say

Working long hours can lead to people having issues moderating behaviour due to ‘ego depletion’, research shows

Exhaustion at work can lead to difficulty controlling emotions, scientists say

Summary

A study from the IMT School for Advanced Studies in Italy suggests that prolonged self-control can lead to mental exhaustion, resulting in more aggressive behavior.

Researchers found that participants asked to restrain their emotions during 45-minute tasks showed increased delta brain wave activity, associated with sleep, in areas related to impulse control.

In subsequent games, only 41% of these participants chose cooperative actions, compared to 86% of those who didn’t exert self-control.

However, some experts urge caution, citing the study’s modest behavioral effects and the controversy surrounding “ego depletion” theory.

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